Page 87 of Wake the Dream

Epilogue

Illaria

Scattered patches ofbuttery moonlight struggled through the clouds of the late summer thunderstorm. It left the bedroom almost entirely dark. They had candles laid out on each available surface to fill the room with warm light.

Illaria’s toes hunted across the wooden boards of the floor. The man in her bed raked her with his eyes, appreciation evident in the lines of his face. His gaze lingered on her body...and a slow smile spread to her lips.

“Are you coming over here anytime soon? Or are you going to make me get up and come get you?” he asked.

The idea made her shiver. “That might be fun,” she murmured.

He rose with a growl, his shoulders hunched and the near-permanent frown on his face gone. When they first met, he always seemed to be frowning, his face twisted in a scowl whenever he caught a glimpse of her.

Tonight, there was no trace of their initial discomfort with each other. His tawny eyes and mahogany hair caught the candlelight when he crouched and stalked toward her.

He stopped a shockingly intimate distance from her breasts. Then bent until his nose came nearly in contact with them.

Instead of giving in to his demands, and the very obvious desire of his exposed nether regions, Illaria raised her chin. “What do you think you’re doing?

Detective Kieran Shanahan chose that moment to wrap an arm around her waist, drawing her up to him before kissing her. No gentleness this time, which she knew him capable of, but straight to that long, hot branding of lips and teeth and tongue.

He drew her up into his arms until she wrapped her legs around his hips.

“If we’re not careful, we’re going to end up missing the big day.” He punctuated the statement with another kiss.

Illaria glared at him. “I would never be late for my own wedding. Have a little faith in me.”

He shrugged at her casual mention of the biggest day of their lives, then turned around and strode with her back to the bed. His mouth found the pulse on her neck, which she was unashamed to admit leaped at his attention.

Illaria buried her cheek against the muscles of his chest. “I didn’t even want a damn wedding to begin with. You’re the one who wanted to bring the rest of your family here for some big party.”

“You can gripe, but I know you want it too.” Kieran laughed softly. “You are the most important thing in the world to me. Why wouldn’t I want my family here to witness us exchanging our vows?”

She shook a finger at him. “I can’t take your blithe romanticism anymore!” It came out as a reproach and she instantly changed tactics, thumbing at his chest. “Do me a favor and tell everyone to stay home.”

“Nope, too late. The invitations are already out and tomorrow you are going to make me the happiest man in the world.”

“This is a dream, right? It’s finally time for me to wake up?”

“I can’t believe this little show of nerves from a woman who helped decimate a vampire nest. What happened to the fairy who tackled a vampire for me?” He chuckled, tangling his fingers in her hair and toying with the soft strands.

“She’s in here,” Illaria stated, settling on his lap and feeling him press against her. “She might need a little convincing, or she’ll try to make a run for it.”

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